Page 9 of Naked

Could a twenty-four year old employee be friends with her mid-thirties boss? This was also a social construct I was unfamiliar with, but since Adam—someone I trusted and admired—seemed comfortable, I decided it must be a possibility. “Yes. You may.”

“Hunter is in love with you.” When I didn’t respond—due to lack of oxygen—he continued. “Men don’t fly across the country leaving their work behind for no reason. They don’t look at a beautiful woman like she’s the only woman who ever existed for no reason. I don’t know what happened between the two of you before I met you, but as a man who has been in his shoes, I can tell you without a doubt, that Hunter is desperate to convince you he’s more than your friend.”

It was hard to imagine Adam being in that position. He was so confident, and even though he was too old for me, I could appreciate the fact that he was a very handsome man. Elizabeth adored him. “There was a point when you had to convince Elizabeth to love you?”

He smiled like he was holding back a giant secret. “You have no idea.”

I found this fascinating. “But you did.”

“With persistence and patience. Something I also recognize in Hunter.” He signed the check and indicated that it was time to return to work. “What are your plans? I assume Hunter hasn’t resigned from the team.”

We stepped down the concrete steps and out the black metal gate, onto the sidewalk that would take us back to the Mantas offices. “He’s asked me to return to Seattle with him.”

“And will you do that?”

My summer break plans were technically none of Adam’s business, and yet I felt compelled to share. “Yes. I believe I owe us this opportunity. Especially after what I did.”

Adam cocked an eyebrow and gave me a long sideways glance. “Come with us. The plane leaves for Kentucky at five. You and Hunter can take the plane from there to Seattle and rejoin the team.” He stopped under an oak tree. “Just don’t leave me before the season is over. I need you.”

This option had not even entered my brain. “Why would I do that?”

Adam smirked like he knew something I didn’t. “Falling in love is intense, Tilley. It makes you think and do things you never would under normal circumstances. I was ready to leave my whole career behind if Beth asked me to.”

“That seems like an overreaction.” We continued down the sidewalk. The hot, humid Florida weather causing me to begin sweating.

“Tilley, love is one constant lifelong overreaction.”

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